Component selection system and component selection method

Abstract

To provide a component selection system capable of promoting the use of remanufactured components at the time of repair while ensuring reliability and capable of contributing to the reduction of environmental loads.SOLUTION: The component selection system for selecting a remanufactured component to be used in an apparatus composed of a plurality of components, is characterized by comprising a usage history database for storing usage history data of the apparatus; a component life database for storing life data of the components; a remanufactured unit remaining life database for storing remaining life data of the components; a deterioration degree estimation unit for using the usage history data and the life data of the components to estimate a deterioration degree of the remanufactured unit, and storing the deterioration degree in the remanufactured unit remaining life database as the remaining life data of the remanufactured components; a necessary life estimation unit for estimating the life data of an operating apparatus using the usage history data; and a remanufactured unit matching determination unit for selecting a remanufactured component applicable to the operating apparatus using the remaining life data of the remanufactured components and the life data of the operating apparatus.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a parts selection system and a parts selection method. [Background technology]

[0002] Industrial equipment is inspected at appropriate times to ensure long-term use, and some parts are replaced during renewal. In these renewals, new genuine parts may be used as is, or similar parts may be used when the production of genuine parts is discontinued, or remanufactured parts may be used. In particular, circular economy, such as parts reuse, is attracting attention when equipment is used for a long period of time.

[0003] However, when using recycled parts, due to the recent increase in environmental awareness, it is essential to reduce the environmental impact and to manage the lifespan of the parts.

[0004] In this regard, Patent Document 1 describes, for the purpose of enabling evaluation of the remaining lifespan of components of electronic devices and enabling the use of reusable parts having an appropriate remaining lifespan according to the remaining lifespan of the electronic device itself, "an electronic device component reuse support method for supporting the use of reusable parts when repairing an electronic device consisting of a plurality of components, by a computer including at least an arithmetic processing unit, a storage device, and a display device, wherein the electronic device comprises: a usage environment measurement sensor that measures usage environment data including the operating status of the components that constitute the electronic device; a data processing unit that creates usage history data of the components using the usage environment data measured by the usage environment measurement sensor; a usage history data storage unit that stores the created usage history data of the components; and a history data supply port that outputs the usage history data stored in the usage history data storage unit to the outside, the computer comprises a history data acquisition port that inputs the usage history data output from the history data supply port when the computer is communicatively connected to the history data supply port of the electronic device, and the storage device comprises: the processing unit reads the usage history data from the usage history data storage unit via the history data supply port and the history data acquisition port, calculates a remaining life of the electronic device product as a whole based on the read usage history data, searches the reused parts database under search conditions for a reused part having the same name and model as a separately designated defective part to be repaired and having a remaining life longer than the calculated remaining life of the electronic device product as a whole, and when one or more reused parts that meet the search conditions are extracted by the search, selects one reused part from the one or more extracted reused parts, and displays the selected reused part on the display unit as a reused part to be used in repair and a manufacturing identification number of the reused part. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-58932 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] In the above-mentioned Patent Document 1, the remaining lifespan of a component part is estimated from its usage history, and whether or not the part can be reused is determined.

[0007] However, even in this case, it is necessary to estimate the deterioration and remaining lifespan of each part removed during repair, and to estimate the required lifespan of the parts after repair, before deciding whether or not to use refurbished parts.

[0008] In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide a parts selection system and a parts selection method that can promote the use of refurbished parts during repairs while ensuring reliability, thereby contributing to reducing the environmental impact. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] In view of the above, the present invention is described as "a parts selection system which selects refurbished parts to be used in equipment composed of a plurality of parts, comprising a usage history database which stores usage history data of the equipment, a part-by-part lifespan database which stores part lifespan data, and a refurbished unit remaining lifespan database which stores remaining lifespan data of the refurbished parts, characterized in having a deterioration degree estimation unit which uses the usage history data and the part lifespan data to estimate the degree of deterioration of used parts and stores the remaining lifespan data of the refurbished parts in the refurbished unit remaining lifespan database, a required lifespan estimation unit which uses the usage history data to estimate lifespan data of the equipment in operation, and a refurbished unit matching determination unit which uses the remaining lifespan data of the refurbished parts and the lifespan data of the equipment in operation to select refurbished parts that can be applied to the equipment in operation."

[0010] The present invention also provides a "part selection method using a computer to select refurbished parts to be used in equipment composed of a plurality of parts, the computer accessing a usage history database which stores usage history data of the equipment, a part-by-part lifespan database which stores part lifespan data, and a refurbished unit remaining lifespan database which stores remaining lifespan data of the refurbished parts, an arithmetic unit of the computer using the usage history data and the part lifespan data to estimate the degree of deterioration of used parts and store this as remaining lifespan data for the refurbished parts in the refurbished unit remaining lifespan database, using the usage history data to calculate lifespan data for the equipment in operation, and using the remaining lifespan data of the refurbished parts and the lifespan data of the equipment in operation to select refurbished parts that can be applied to the equipment in operation." Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to promote the use of remanufactured parts at the time of repair while ensuring reliability, thereby contributing to reducing the environmental load. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a parts selection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of a usage history database DB1. [Diagram 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing an example of the data structure of a part lifespan database DB2. [Figure 4] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing an example of the data configuration of a regenerated unit remaining life database DB3. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an example of output from a required life estimation unit 23. [Figure 6] This is the process flow for handling parts removed from equipment due to repairs. [Figure 7A] A diagram showing management from the equipment side when handling renovated property. [Figure 7B] A diagram showing management from the equipment side when handling renovated property. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of FIG. 1 in an organized manner. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a diagram showing a case where the equipment is an elevator and the part is a power converter in a control panel. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. EXAMPLES

[0014] Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the overall configuration of a parts selection system according to an embodiment of the present invention. The parts selection system 1 in Fig. 1 includes a plurality of databases DB (DB1, DB2, DB3) for devices 2 (2A, 2B, 2C, . . . 2N) to be managed, and a playback unit matching determination unit 3 configured with a computer.

[0015] In this diagram, device 2A is configured with device main body 2A1 and management device 2A2 for device 2A1. Management device 2A2 is configured using a computer, and has the functions of deterioration degree estimation unit 21, required life estimation unit 23, and processing selection unit 22. Note that other devices 2B, 2C, . . . 2N have the same configuration, so device 2A will be described below as a representative example.

[0016] The device 2 is, for example, an elevator, and the elements that make up the elevator are referred to as parts in this specification. Many elevator parts can be reused, but a part that is particularly desirable to reuse is a semiconductor module that is a component of a power converter unit that supplies power to the elevator motor. For this reason, a case in which a semiconductor module is an application target will be described in detail in Example 5, which will be described later.

[0017] Fig. 2 shows an example of the data configuration of the usage history database DB1. It stores data D1 of the usage history from when the equipment or part was installed and started to be used until the present for each equipment 2 (2A, 2B, 2C,..., 2N) or part. The usage history data D1 should include factors that affect the lifespan of the equipment or part, and should include, for example, information on speed D12, torque D13, load D14, and temperature D15 in addition to time information D11. The equipment may be either new equipment or refurbished equipment.

[0018] According to the usage history data D1, by storing the usage history data together with the time information D11, it is possible to confirm how the equipment or parts have been used in the past. As a result, it is possible to obtain information for estimating that the lifespan of equipment or parts that have been used in a harsh manner is being deteriorated from the aspects of speed D12, torque D13, load D14, and temperature D15.

[0019] Fig. 3 shows an example of the data configuration of the component lifespan database DB2. Information on the design lifespan D22 of replacement parts D21 is stored here. The design information of the components stores, for example, the operating ranges of speed D23, torque D24, load D25, and temperature D26 during standard operation. In other words, it is stored that if the component is operated within the operating ranges described here, the component's lifespan is XX years (or % / year). The information on the design lifespan D22 can be said to be information on the useful life at the time of design.

[0020] Fig. 4 shows an example of the data configuration of the remanufactured unit remaining life database DB3. This database stores information on remaining life D32 for parts D31 (hereinafter simply referred to as remanufactured units) that have been in actual use in the past, removed from equipment, maintained as necessary, and made reusable. Since remanufactured units are not new, the remaining life D32 is calculated by subtracting the used life from the design life D12, and is stored for each remanufactured unit.

[0021] In the present invention, the above-mentioned information on the usage history D1, the design life D2 of each part, and the remaining life D32 of the regenerated unit are stored in advance. In addition, in the management device 2A2 of the device 2A, the deterioration degree estimation unit 21 refers to the information on the usage history D1 and the design life D2 of each part, and estimates the life of the currently operating device and parts.

[0022] For example, if a part with a lifespan of 10 years under normal use conditions (operation in the design information of the part lifespan database DB2) was operated within normal use conditions in the past, the remaining lifespan is estimated by subtracting the number of years of use in the past from the lifespan. Alternatively, if the part was operated under conditions that were harsher than normal use conditions in the past, the ratio of the actual operation to the design operation is defined as the degree of harshness and quantified, and the remaining lifespan is set shorter according to the numerical ratio. Note that any appropriate publicly known method can be used to think about and calculate the lifespan. Various approaches to calculating the lifespan are possible, as long as the same criteria are used consistently for equipment parts.

[0023] Regarding the lifespan of equipment, it is possible to set it according to the lifespan of the part with the shortest lifespan among the parts that make up the equipment. Some parts that make up the equipment have long lifespans, but because a failure of a part is a failure of the equipment, it is best to manage the lifespan of the part with the shortest lifespan as the lifespan of the equipment. Conversely, this means that if parts that are approaching the end of their lifespan can be replaced one by one, the equipment can be used for a longer period of time, and as a result, the equipment lifespan can be extended.

[0024] In Fig. 1, the necessary life estimation unit 23 of the management device 2A2 estimates the necessary life of a newly installed part when a part of an equipment is repaired. This is to estimate how long the repaired and newly installed part will last if it is operated in the same environment (usage history) as the equipment was operated in the past. For example, when a part with a remaining life of 5 years is replaced by repair, if the equipment incorporating the refurbished part is scheduled to be used in the same harsh environment as before, the remaining life is reevaluated to, for example, 3 years instead of 5 years. The output of the necessary life estimation unit 23 is output as a necessary life D42 for each part D41, as shown in Fig. 5.

[0025] In Fig. 1, the processing selection unit 22 of the management device 2A2 selects a processing policy for the part with the degree of deterioration according to the degree of deterioration of the part estimated by the deterioration degree estimation unit 21. The processing policies here are to continue using the part, to discard it as it is not suitable for reuse, or to repair or otherwise modify the part. If the part is repaired or otherwise modified or to continue to be used, the data is stored in the remanufactured unit remaining life database DB3 as a part suitable for reuse. This makes the part a subject of management for reuse.

[0026] In summary, the processing by the deterioration degree estimation unit 21, the processing selection unit 22 and the regeneration unit remaining life database DB3 determines the remaining life of parts that have been used in the past, while the required life estimation unit 23 determines the remaining life of equipment that has had parts replaced.

[0027] 1 matches the regenerated unit with the device. For example, when the device 2A has a significantly deteriorated part, the regenerated unit matching determination unit 3 considers the lifespan of the device and the lifespan of the regenerated unit and proposes the use of an appropriate regenerated part.

[0028] It is recommended that the processing of the refurbished unit matching determination unit 3 be done as follows. First, if there is a parts group consisting of multiple refurbished parts and an equipment group consisting of multiple devices, select one target from the equipment group, and select the refurbished part that minimizes the difference between the required lifespan required for the equipment and the remaining lifespan of the part. Alternatively, select one target from the parts group, and select the refurbished part that minimizes the difference between the remaining lifespan of the part and the required lifespan required for the equipment. Alternatively, it is possible to rank the remaining lifespan list of the parts group and the equipment group based on the difference, and select multiple replacement targets. EXAMPLES

[0029] In the second to fourth embodiments, several processing methods using the database DB and each calculation function of the computer shown in Fig. 1 will be explained. First, Fig. 6 shows a process flow for handling parts removed from equipment due to repair. This shows the process from the viewpoint of parts management.

[0030] 6, the process starts when a used part is taken out of a device for an inspection or the like, and in process step S12, using information from the usage history database DB1, the deterioration degree determination unit 21 calculates, for example, the lifespan as the deterioration degree of the taken part. At this time, information on past usage stored in the usage history database DB1 and the design lifespan (lifespan obtained at the time of design assuming standard operation) stored in the component lifespan database DB2 are referenced.

[0031] In process step S13, the process selection unit 22 determines whether or not the part needs to be repaired based on the degree of deterioration found in process step S12, and if so, repairs the part in process step S14. In process step S15, except for cases where it is determined that the part cannot be reused even after repair, the part is registered in the remanufactured unit remaining life database DB3 as a reuse candidate part. At this time, the previously found data on the life is also registered. Thus, the part is treated as a reuse candidate.

[0032] Then, in processing step S16, the remanufactured unit matching determination unit 3 is started up and refers to the usage history database DB1 to select from among the equipment in operation an appropriate equipment as a reuse destination for the reuse candidate parts registered in the remanufactured unit remaining life database DB3.

[0033] This is done, for example, by extracting candidate parts for reuse that have the same model and function as parts in equipment currently in operation, and selecting those that match in terms of lifespan. Taking into consideration the operating period of the parts in operation (and therefore their remaining lifespan) and the remaining lifespan of the candidate parts for reuse, in processing step S17, if it would be advantageous to replace them, the candidate parts for reuse are registered in an applicable property list or the like, and made available for suggestion to the user. EXAMPLES

[0034] In the third embodiment, the handling of equipment from which parts have been removed (or new parts have been installed) due to modification will be described.

[0035] This flow shows the handling on a renovated property basis, and shows management from the equipment side. First, for parts newly installed in the equipment, as shown in Fig. 7A, the same management as that from process step S11 to process step S16 in Fig. 6 is performed.

[0036] Under such a premise, the equipment side considers repairs in process step S21 as shown in Fig. 7B. Specifically, in process step S22, the usage history database DB1 is referenced and, for example, equipment that has been in operation for a long time and is therefore likely to use parts with a short remaining life is selected as a target for repairs.

[0037] In process step S23, the contents of the registration process in the remanufactured unit remaining life database DB3 in process step S16 of FIG. 7A are confirmed, and a matching between the equipment candidates for repair and the remanufactured parts that can be applied at that time is considered, and a list of suitable ones is created.

[0038] In addition, this matching study should not be conducted by considering the current lifespan of remanufactured parts and the lifespan of parts in the equipment in operation, but by considering the relationship between the lifespans at the time of the next regular inspection.

[0039] In response to this, in process step S24, a repair plan for the part scheduled for execution at the next regular inspection is created. If the result of the matching determination indicates that the equipment life will not last until the next regular inspection, a repair plan is created that recommends bringing forward the timing of the repair. EXAMPLES

[0040] In the fourth embodiment, the configuration of Fig. 1 is summarized and explained as Fig. 8. First, in the usage history database DB1 of Fig. 8, usage records of the equipment and its parts that have been used since they were new, and usage records of parts that have been repaired during operation are sequentially stored.

[0041] The required life estimation unit 23 estimates the life (required life) of currently operating equipment and its parts as information from the equipment management side. The life of the equipment is determined based on the shortest life of the parts used in the equipment. Therefore, if a short-lived part is repaired, the shortest life of the parts used in the repaired equipment is set as the life of the new equipment.

[0042] On the other hand, the remaining life estimation unit 21 estimates the remaining life of a part removed for repair as information on the part, and identifies the part as a candidate for reuse as a remanufactured unit.

[0043] The matching determination unit 3 performs a matching determination based on the lifespan of the internal parts of the device in operation and the lifespan of the regenerative unit, and ultimately reflects the result in a repair plan. EXAMPLES

[0044] In the fifth embodiment, a case where the device is an elevator and the part is a power converter in a control panel will be described with reference to Fig. 9. In the case of the power converter in Fig. 9, the usage history database DB1 stores data on the elevator's running history, such as data on the load and direction of movement in each elevator operation, or information on the temperature inside the control panel at each time.

[0045] On the other hand, the elevator specification database DB21 and the design data DB22 are used as the component life database DB2. The elevator specification database DB21 and the design data DB22 store various information that is a factor affecting the life of the repaired components.

[0046] Here, factors that affect the lifespan of the power converter as a component are the speed, torque, and current, in relation to the fact that the elevator motor is controlled by so-called vector control, which is a cascade control of speed control 51, torque control 52, and current control 53. In addition, other influencing factors include loss in the semiconductor module 54, heat dissipation temperature characteristics 55, and damage to the semiconductor module 56, and a deterioration degree estimation 57 is possible by combining these factors.

[0047] To ultimately determine the degree of deterioration for each part, it is necessary to calculate the relationship between these influencing factors and the deterioration, and for this purpose various data are provided from the elevator specification database DB21 and the design data DB22. For example, information on the rated speed, acceleration, and floor pitch is provided from the elevator specification database DB21, while the controlled mass, motor characteristics, semiconductor module characteristics, heat dissipation characteristics, semiconductor module life curves, etc. are provided from the design data DB22.

[0048] Here, let's consider the case where the part is a power converter inside a control panel. Firstly, the lifespan of the semiconductor module, which is a component of the power converter unit, which is a main component of the elevator, is determined by the number of temperature change cycles. Because temperature rise differs depending on the load and travel distance, the degree of deterioration can be estimated from the usage history. Also, it is possible to determine whether a project can be reused based on the required lifespan after renovation from the usage history of the project. At this time, if there is a project that can be reused (matching established), the entire converter unit is reused, and if it cannot be reused, the semiconductor module is replaced and the heat sink etc. are reused. Also, a heat sink is selected from the usage history (continuous running time).

[0049] As for other parts, such as the power converter / hoist unit, it is thought that there is little possibility of reusing them in the future, so it is best to replace only the power converter part, which has a temperature cycle life, and reuse the hoist part only by replacing the brake pads, etc.

[0050] Furthermore, the remaining lifespan of other parts can be calculated as follows: remaining lifespan of inverter = design lifespan - degree of deterioration, where the factors influencing the degree of deterioration are speed, torque, current, and temperature change. The remaining lifespan of motors can be calculated similarly, where the factors influencing the degree of deterioration are speed, torque, current, and temperature change. The remaining lifespan of bearings can be calculated similarly, where the factors influencing the degree of deterioration are speed, load, and time. The remaining lifespan of ropes can be calculated similarly, where the factors influencing the degree of deterioration are the number of times of operation and load.

[0051] According to the embodiment of the present invention described above, it is possible to promote the use of refurbished parts at the time of repair while ensuring reliability, thereby contributing to reducing the environmental load. [Explanation of symbols]

[0052] 1: Parts selection system 2(2A,2B,2C...2N): Equipment 2A1: Equipment body 2A2: Management device 3: Playback unit matching judgement section 21: Deterioration degree estimation unit 22: Processing selection section 23: Required life estimation part DB1: Usage history database DB2: Part life database DB3: Remanufactured unit remaining life database

Claims

1. A parts selection system for selecting refurbished parts to be used in a device composed of a plurality of parts, comprising: a usage history database for storing usage history data of the device, a part lifespan database for storing lifespan data of the parts, and a remanufactured unit remaining lifespan database for storing remaining lifespan data of remanufactured parts, a deterioration degree estimation unit that estimates a deterioration degree of the used part using the usage history data and the part life data, and stores the estimated deterioration degree in the remanufactured unit remaining life database as remaining life data of the remanufactured part; a required life estimation unit that estimates life data of an operating device using the usage history data; A parts selection system comprising: a remanufactured unit matching determination unit that uses remaining life data of the remanufactured parts and life data of the equipment in operation to select the remanufactured parts that can be applied to the equipment in operation.

2. 2. The parts selection system according to claim 1, The part selection system is characterized in that, when there is a parts group consisting of multiple refurbished parts and an equipment group consisting of multiple devices, the refurbished unit matching determination unit selects one target device from the equipment group, and selects the refurbished part that minimizes the difference between the required lifespan of the device and the remaining lifespan of the part.

3. 2. The parts selection system according to claim 1, The remanufactured unit matching determination unit is a part selection system characterized in that, when there is a parts group consisting of multiple remanufactured parts and an equipment group consisting of multiple devices, it selects one target from the parts group and selects the remanufactured part that minimizes the difference between the remaining lifespan of that part and the required lifespan of the equipment.

4. 2. The parts selection system according to claim 1, A part selection system characterized in that, when there is a part group consisting of multiple refurbished parts and an equipment group consisting of multiple devices, the refurbished unit matching determination unit ranks the part group based on the difference between the remaining life list of the part group and the equipment group, and selects multiple replacement targets.

5. 2. The parts selection system according to claim 1, The parts selection system according to claim 1, wherein the deterioration degree estimation unit estimates a deterioration degree of the used parts after repair and stores the estimated deterioration degree in the remanufactured unit remaining life database as remaining life data of the remanufactured parts.

6. 2. The parts selection system according to claim 1, The parts selection system according to the present invention is characterized in that the usage history database stores usage history data for devices and collected devices.

7. A parts selection method for selecting refurbished parts to be used in a device composed of a plurality of parts, using a computer, comprising: the computer accesses a usage history database that stores usage history data of the device, a part lifespan database that stores lifespan data of the parts, and a remanufactured unit remaining lifespan database that stores remaining lifespan data of remanufactured parts; a calculation unit of the computer uses the usage history data and the lifespan data of the part to estimate the degree of deterioration of the used part and store it in the remanufactured unit remaining lifespan database as remaining lifespan data for the remanufactured part, uses the usage history data to estimate lifespan data for equipment in operation, and uses the remaining lifespan data of the remanufactured part and the lifespan data of the equipment in operation to select the remanufactured part that can be applied to the equipment in operation.

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